Institute of Culture and Ecology Director Martin Mwenda at river Kathita he said the weather is unpredictable due to cutting down of trees and failure to conserve water. Image: Dennis Dibondo

Residents in Meru are concerned that rivers are drying up in the area.

They depend on River Kathita that supplies water to Meru town and its environs.

Gregory Kagumba from Karimba village, North Imenti constituency, said when he was a child they could not cross River Kathita.

“It is as if people encroached on the riparian and engaged in activities that might have led to the decreasing water level in the river,” he said.

Kagumba said residents consume dirty water as Kanyuru River, which drains into Kathita, is polluted by mechanics. The river passes through Mjini slums where raw sewage flows into it.

“Quarry workers have invaded River Kathita in search of rocks. This had destroyed the habitat of fish,” he said.

He said the national government should reclaim the river banks to save the situation as they are doing in Mau Forest.

He said River Kathita , Thingithu and Mariara are in danger of drying up completely.

Intitute of Culture and Ecology, a lobby group that advocates for environmental conservation has been going round the rivers in Meru and Tharaka Nithi trying to find out why rivers in the two counties are drying up.

Joanina M’Itirikia said the river has dried up to a very worrying level.

Institute of Culture and Ecology director Martin Mwenda said the weather is unpredictable due to cutting down of trees and failure to conserve water.

“ We need to spread conservation of rivers to save them from drying up,” he said.

He said in two or three years in Meru in dry season many rivers will have dried up if conservation efforts are not started now.

Institute of Culture and Ecology Director Martin Mwenda at a press briefing next to river Kathita hesaid the weather is unpredictable due to cutting down of trees and failure to conserve water. Image: Dennis Dibondo

Institute of Culture and Ecology Director Martin Mwenda at a press briefing next to river Kathita hesaid the weather is unpredictable due to cutting down of trees and failure to conserve water. Image: Dennis Dibondo